The UW–Madison Office of Sustainability is proud to announce open registration for the My Green Lab Certification Program. You can learn more about the program and register your lab at the link below.
My Green Lab® is a globally recognized organization working to advance sustainability in scientific research. Laboratories face unique sustainability challenges related to purchasing, water use, energy consumption, waste generation, and more. My Green Lab certification offers researchers opportunities to address these challenges while continuing to conduct world-class scientific research.
The program is available to the first 50 UW-Madison laboratories who sign up, with registration closing on August 15th. The certification program is free for participating labs and can help reduce costs, reduce environmental impact, improve health and safety of the lab, and promote collaboration on best management practices between labs.
To register your lab, please fill out the registration form by clicking the blue button above. Participating laboratories will be paired with an intern from the Office of Sustainability who will be the primary point of contact throughout the certification process. My Green Lab will also provide resources throughout the process such as engagement plans, worksheets, and case studies to help implement suggested practices. The Program Summary details the requirements and expectations of the program below.
If you or your lab personnel have any questions, please email greenlabs@g-groups.wisc.edu.
Program Summary
| Dates | Milestone | Description |
|---|---|---|
| May 1 - Jun 30 | Registration | Interested UW-Madison laboratories must complete the registration form by June 30th to participate in the upcoming program. The first 50 laboratories to sign-up will be enrolled in the program. |
| Jul 1 - Jul 15 | Lab Setup | An Office of Sustainability Intern will be assigned as your Project Manager. Your Project Manager will setup your virtual workspaces. A Microsoft Team will be created and setup your lab in the My Green Lab Certification Hub. |
| Jul 15 - Aug 31 | Kickoff Meeting | The Project Manager will schedule a mandatory on-site kickoff meeting with the Lab Leader(s) during this time frame. |
| Jul 15 - Aug 31 | Assessment Tool | During the Kickoff Meeting, the Project Manager will complete the Assessment Tool with the Lab Leader(s). |
| Jul 15 - Aug 31 | Impact Calculator | During the Kickoff Meeting, the Project Manager will complete the Impact Calculator with the Lab Leader(s). |
| Sept 1 - Oct 1 | Baseline Engagement Survey | Lab Leader(s) and lab personnel will complete the 12-minute lab-wide Baseline Engagement Survey. Lab Leaders(s) will submit for Baseline Review. |
| Note: For laboratories under 10 members, all members must complete the assessment. For laboratories with 10 or more members, a minimum of 50% of the members must complete the assessment. | ||
| Oct 2 - Oct 15 | Baseline Assessment Review | The My Green Lab organization will review the Baseline Assessment submission. Lab will receive a feedback report and presentation. |
| Oct 16 - Nov 15 | Action Tracker | The project manager will create an action tracker in your lab's virtual workspace. The action tracker will allow your lab members to prioritize which sustainable lab practices the group will undertake. |
| Oct 16 - Nov 15 | Site Visit | The project manager will setup a site visit to review the Action Tracker and perform an optional walkthrough of your laboratory. Please budget a minimum of 1.5 hours. |
| Oct 16 - Feb 28 | Implementation | Lab members will access support resources, execute targeted improvement strategies, and implement operational / behavioral changes that are selected in the Action Tracker. |
| Mar 1 - Mar 21 | Reassessment | The My Green Lab organization will email a reassessment to each lab member. The re-assessment takes up to 12-minutes to complete. |
| Note: For laboratories under 10 members, all members must complete the reassessment. For laboratories with 10 or more members, a minimum of 50% of the members must complete the reassessment. | ||
| Mar 22 - Apr 15 | Certification | The My Green Lab organization will assign a certification based on your reassessment score. |
| Apr 16 - Apr 30 | Communications | The My Green Lab organization will issue a certificate to display at your laboratory and a virtual badge to display on your website. The Office of Sustainability will update its webpage and issue University-wide communications for your accomplishment. |
| +2 years | Recertification | The My Green Lab Certification will be valid for 2 years. You are encouraged to reapply for the My Green Lab Certification program because laboratory sustainability is a dynamic and evolving topic— new technologies and products can redefine best practices and opportunities. My Green Lab reviews and updates its programs periodically. |